Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,642 in United States versus $391 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $592 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in United States versus $792 in Pakistan.

Living in United States is roughly 576% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.

United States (98% above) and Pakistan (71% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,182, compared to $286–$534 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$1.81 PKR 503

984.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$12.15 PKR 3,374

520.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$4.29 PKR 1,190

169.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PKR 1,106

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$1.74 PKR 482

200.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.36 PKR 100

591.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.21 PKR 58.3

880.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.78 PKR 216

39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.56 PKR 155

535.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.21 PKR 337

291.74%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$1.20 PKR 334

261.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$5.69 PKR 1,579

122.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$2.84 PKR 789

332.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$4.09 PKR 1,135

305.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.00 PKR 279

416.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.61 PKR 170

178.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$0.76 PKR 212

485.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$0.52 PKR 145

823.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.38 PKR 106

671.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.51 PKR 143

505.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.38 PKR 106

484.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.36 PKR 98.8

525.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 559

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 578

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$1.96 PKR 545

405.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.20 PKR 56.1

1130.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$7.24 PKR 2,011

792.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$0.84 PKR 232

348.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.52 PKR 145

228.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$1.79 PKR 496

1580.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.89 PKR 248

7.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.9K $29.9K

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

67.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

10.12%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$210 $210

$110 PKR 30.5K

91.19%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$56.3 $56.3

$4.58 PKR 1,270

1129.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$15.58 PKR 4,326

367.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$13.28 PKR 3,687

241.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$8.84 PKR 2,456

144.34%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$4.13 PKR 1,148

239.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$39.62 PKR 11.0K

3376.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$1,170 PKR 324.9K

1811.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$15.59 PKR 4,329

238.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$23.77 PKR 6,601

78.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$71.9 PKR 20.0K

27.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$32.15 PKR 8,927

253.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$115 PKR 31.9K

1435.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

2105.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$274 PKR 76.1K

938.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$163 PKR 45.2K

1355.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$965 PKR 268.0K

248.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$502 PKR 139.4K

430.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$186 PKR 51.6K

2256.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

18.97

-65.68%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $1,625 in Washington, MI vs $199 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $181 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1996% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 564% more in United States.

Public transport is 257% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 2386% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

United States vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $410 per month in Pakistan and $3,259 in United States, there's a 695% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Pakistan: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States is consistently higher than in Pakistan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Pakistan wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.